Style Icon: Steve McQueen

When you ask men about their style icons, one name pops up again and again.

Steve McQueen - racer, motorcycle enthusiast and movie star - remains after all this time the undisputed king of cool. Known for his love of clean cut masculinity, McQueen's style is timeless, transcending generations. With a style not bound by class or location, McQueen has become an icon not just for his work in cinema but for his effortless and instantly recognisable dress sense.

From a troubled childhood to an illustrious military career, McQueen never let his past define him, instead becoming a man of action both on and off the screen. Though he was notoriously difficult to work with, he made time in his life for his true passions - charity work and racing. As one of the most in demand stars of the day, McQueen could pick and choose the roles he wanted. From The Great Escape to Bullitt, McQueen quickly became known for his classic style pieces.

While it would be east to say Steve McQueen is one of the all time great vintage style icons, it's by no far stretch where you could say he's one of the world's best-known dressers. His sartorial style was never forced, instead with a more relaxed masculine look.

While typically cited as a male style icon, there's no reason not to take style cues from McQueen's back catalogue of iconic looks. The real statement piece to pull together any McQueen inspired look is of course a Belstaff waxed jacket. A black belted race master truly captures his everlasting style and a true heritage piece. Pair this with a loose classic fit white tee (H&M makes light and durable tops perfect for this) and some dark straight cut Wrangler jeans.

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To fully embrace the King of Cool, though, you need some key accessories to finish the look. The iconic Persol 714 were McQueen's favourite glasses and look great with some tan desert style boots. Toast has a beautiful long lasting pair that look great with both jeans and a skirt. For a full on splurge, complete the look with a Heuer watch, who sponsored McQueen for years, keeping him in quality, elegant time pieces.

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It's an easy to wear effortless look that is a throwback of retro Americana that never goes out of style. There's a reason that Steve McQueen is one of the most cited style icons for men, and it's about time we started take style cues from him too.

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